Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Arrows => Topic started by: Don on June 17, 2008, 04:29:33 pm
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Received some cane from my brother in Mississippi.
Would anyone have any idea what they might be? I don't know and my bother has no idea. He says it grow up to 20' tall.
(http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh320/Docor29/IMG_0329.jpg)
Now what I really need is a start to finish steps to get these to arrows.
Like do you sand the nodes down smooth and should I spine after staightening?
I did a search but didn't find answers to all my questions.
I've never made cane arrows before so this is a first. I do work with cedar shafts but there's not much to them.
Your help is needed. Also these were cut about one week ago if that helps.
Don
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what you need to do is get the Pictures to load....so we can see what you have!!!
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Looks like the bamboo in my backyard to me, but I have no experience with cane or cane arrows.
Keith
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Looks like the bamboo in my backyard to me, but I have no experience with cane or cane arrows.
Keith
You see pictures??? I have an X with a Blank space..........
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yeah, i see 'em too
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Don, I usually like to bundle up the canes until they are dry then straighten them and cut to size. Recently I cut a single cane to see how quickly I could get it to dry. I laid it in full sun for 3 or4 days then brought it inside for a few more days before I began the straightening process. Its been about 2 weeks and I am ready to complete the arrow now.
On this cane arrow I did sand the nodes down a bit but usually I would heat and roll the nodes between a hard surface and a block of hardwood to compress them. When straightening I start with the internodes first and straighten them all and let the cane rest and cool completely before before moving to the nodes. If you don't allow the canes to cool off first you will loose the straightening you have just done.
I don't know what kind of cane you have but if it is arrow size after it has dried it should make good arrows. Pat
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Well when I open this up I've got a picture.
I try it again , other wise I don't know whats going on.
Don
Pat , Thanks I 'll clean up the nodes and try rolling them smooth.
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Well I see a picture and a wild guess would say river cane
Dennis
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Wow, River Cane can grow up to 20' tall? I had no idea... Do you get multiple shafts out of a single cane, or does the dimensions taper too much for that?
Keith
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This is a form of bamboo that is not good for arrows in my experience. Is one side of the cane flat? The nodes are too big to sand down.
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I have made arrows with river cane(Arundinaria gigantia) that fly well but are noisy to draw because the nodes are so large. The shaft diameter is bigger than I like for arrows also with a great degree of taper. They do make good atlatl darts. ;) Pat
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Hard to be certain from a pic of cut stems, but that looks more like Chinese golden bamboo to me. It's naturalized all over the south. You can make good arrows from it, but you have to be picky cutting it to find shafts that are the right size , don't have too many nodes, and aren't really flat or sulcate on one side. Don't be afraid to grind those nodes down even with the rest of the shaft. I do it to all my cane arrows and haven't broken one yet. Knocker, native river cane can reach nearly 30' high and 3" in diameter under ideal conditions, but it's rare to see it that size. Most of it around here maxes out at about 10'-15' tall and about 3/4" in diameter. To get good shafts, you have to use the part between the ground and where the heavy branches start, so you usually just get one shaft per stem.
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This is a form of bamboo that is not good for arrows in my experience. Is one side of the cane flat? The nodes are too big to sand down.
Rich. Yes one side is flat. I'm going to give them a try as soon as I have some time.
If I could cut them myself I could be picky, but I live a bit to far away.
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Well I finally saw the picture :). That looks identical to a bundle I've had drying for about a year, never tried to straighten em yet - found a source of river cane FINALLY ;D and have had great success with them. Let us know how these turn out.
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Here are my steps for working with cane:
1. remove leaves and branches
2. clean off dirt
3. cut and sand down nodes (but not flush with shaft)....just the high spots
3. scrape off any dark or ugly areas on the outside of the shaft.
4. dry the cane for two weeks
5. straighten with heat
6. cut to size, weigh, spine, and put together matched sets of 3-6 shafts
7. cut nocks
8. add tips and arrowheads
9. trial shoot (without fletching) in order to make sure shafts match the bow
10. paint
11. add fletching
Tom Mills has a good series on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFxZ8D3Mya0 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFxZ8D3Mya0)
Also, I believe MarkInEngland (on this forum) has lots of experience with cane/bamboo. ;D
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Thanks jackcrafty, Thats what I needed. The steps ;D.
I haven't had time to do anything with these, they've been bundled for the last two weeks.
And I hope they will still be able to be straightened after another few weeks.
We've been working the floods here in Iowa none stop and I haven't had time for this.
Thanks for everyone help. :) Don
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HEy Don,
That stuff is NOT rivercane. It is bamboo. The bamboo I have seen usually has a much more dramatic taper than the rivercane I use. But don't worry. It will most likely work for arrows. The only thing that matters is how well it shoots off your bow. If it flies perfectly, then that's all that matters. I would reduce the nodes somewhat, but not too much. If you scrape the nodes so their diameter is even with the bamboo on either side of it, the strength will be seriously compromised and they will break there if they hit a glancing blow.
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Thanks Billy.
I've set them to the side for now, trying some Lowe's Boo, which work good.
This Miss. stuff has some really big nodes and where there should be leaves there is limbs. I'll keep messing with it though.
Thank again. Don
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It's not cane, Hillbilly nailed it the first time. It makes good arrows but I've found it works best if you pull it down and cut the tops out. It doesn't start flat sideing as quick up there. And you can grind the bejeezes out of those nodes.
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I would reduce the nodes somewhat, but not too much. If you scrape the nodes so their diameter is even with the bamboo on either side of it, the strength will be seriously compromised and they will break there if they hit a glancing blow.
I've never found this to be true at all. I've made hundreds of cane arrows, and I always take the nodes down even. I don't want bumps sticking out to hit the bow. I've so far never broken a cane arrow shooting it after shooting them by the thousands, and that's saying something as I'm a horrible shot and seem to have a gift for dead centering (and glancing blows) off rocks, trees, and suchlike. I've seen examples of bowstrings made from split cane in which the nodes were smoothed down even, and if it was that weak, it sure wouldn't last as a bowstring. The only time I break cane at the nodes is occasionally by overheating and bending too fast while straightening them. I do the major straightening before smoothing the nodes as they are a weak spot when you heat them. Otherwise, I've never had any trouble, and I can sure break me some wooden arrows in a hurry. The weakest point on a cane arrows is still ten times stronger than the best commercial POC shaft. :)
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What hillbilly said above. I have used bamboo for the last 5 years and have never had a problem with the nodes. If you over heat them, they do come apart .
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Thanks for the Headsup....Hillbilly....I am in the Process of working down a couple dozen Cane Shafts that Cowboy gave me....and I was wondering how far you could sand and scrape the Nodes down....and I believe you about the Strength....because POC is like Balsa Wood...you sure cant glance it off another Arrow....or hit a fence or rock with it....you may as well just get the Point and toss the rest!!!
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All the cane arrows I've shot have never broken . I've only had two that split. I don't think you could break a cane arrow completely into shooting it.
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I don't think you could break a cane arrow completely into shooting it.
I BET I CAN!!!!!!!!!!!
>:D >:D >:D
The Wife say I can
@#$% Up A %^& DREAM!!!!
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Yes, Hillbilly was right about the type of bamboo. It is often imported here from China (rather close) for the use of gardening stakes and such. I don't use it for arrows as I can get better types locally in the forests, however the one time I did use it, it worked OK.
Don't be afraid to sand the nodes flat guys! Every Asian archery culture has been doing just that for centuries and I'm sure if it was certain to break the arrow they wouldn't do it, ya? :)
Anyways, once you get the technique down, you will be able to get pipe straight arrows in a few minutes. Such as this:
(http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i227/paleoalex/Arrows/DSC_0058.jpg)
This arrow is 32 inches long and has 3 nodes in it. As you can see, the nodes do not stick out, and the shaft is really smooth >:D
Alex ....bamboo is better.....
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DAMN.......I got a Long Ways to go....when it comes to straightening a piece of Cane!!!!